1. Named after two Roman Emperors, Aurelius Augustinus (Augustine) was born in Tagaste, North Africa on Sunday, 13th November 354.

2. His mother, Monica, was a Catholic Christian.

3. His father, Patricius, was a pagan. He had no religion. Late in life, he became a Christian.

4. Augustine was a very intelligent student, but he was lazy. After going to two local schools, he was sent to Carthage 250 kilometres away to further his schooling.

5. As a young man Augustine was more interested in partying than anything else.

6. His mother Monica was sad that Augustine was doing wrong things. She continually prayed that he would change his ways.

7. Augustine was not really happy with his life. He was restless. He questioned what he was doing, and who God was.

8. Augustine went to Rome in Italy to advance his teaching career.

9. He did poorly in Rome, but became a professor in Milan.

10. Augustine read the letters of Saint Paul in the New Testament, and decided to be baptised.

11. He was baptised at the age of 33 years by Ambrose, the Bishop of Milan (Italy).

12. Augustine went back to Africa. There he lived with a group of friends who devoted their time to prayer and reading so that they could understand God better.

13. The people who lived in Hippo wanted him to become a priest. He said yes to them when he was thirty-six years old, and was ordained.

14. Five years later he was made a bishop in Hippo.

15. Augustine wrote many books. After the Bible, his book "Confessions" was for centuries the most read book in the world.

16. He died at the age of seventy six years on 28th August 430.  

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